How Good Are You at Geography Games?

If you cannot travel the world, why not travel the Internet? GeoGuessr is a new, online travel game. It teaches about geography, while visiting places far and wide. The game is easy to play, but nearly impossible to win. Geoguessr uses images from Street View from the technology company, Google. After looking at an image, you guess where the photograph was taken. No matter how much you have traveled, you have not been to as many places as Google Street View. Its cameras have been busy taking photographs around the world. How to Play the Game Images can be searched broadly or by continent, country or city. The program shows an image of a place and a map of the world. Some pictures are beautiful, while others look barren without much plant life. But the mix of scenery is part of the fun and learning. You can zoom in or out of images. Or turn it around in circles. Images move forward and backward, and up and down to identify locations. When you think you know where the photo was taken, click on the Google map to place your marker. Click on the Make Guess button on the bottom of the map. A new image will appear, showing the distance between the area you chose and the actual location. Geoguessr will tell how many kilometers away you were and how many points you earned. You get five chances to guess the location. After the fifth one, you see a map showing your guesses, the correct locations, and the number of points you earned. Helpful Hints Here are a few suggestions to help you identify what part of the planet you are seeing.   Look around and see if you can find any words on signs to show the local language. For example, if both French and English are on signs, Canada might be a good guess. Look closely at the plants to see what the latitude might be. Palm trees may mean a more tropical climate. Make a note of whether the cars drive on the right or the left side of the road. If vehicles are driving on the left, that narrows your guesses. Look at road signs. If the road signs use international symbols, the location probably is not in the United States. Very few places in the U.S. use international road signs. GeoGuessr can be played on a computer or a mobile device. You must be connected to the Internet. The more you play the game, the better you will get at geography. Be careful, the game can get very addictive. The good news is Geoguessr is free and, you are unlikely to run out of places to see! I’m Kathleen Struck.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you like geography games? Let us know in the Comments section below and on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   geography - n. an area of study that deals with the location of countries, cities, rivers, mountains, lakes, etc. impossible - adj. unable to be done or to happen : not possible guess - v. to form an opinion or give an answer about something when you do not know much or anything about it barren - adj. not exciting or interesting scenery - n. a view of natural features (such as mountains, hills, valleys, etc.) that is pleasing to look at location - n. a place or position marker - n. something (such as a sign or an object) that shows the location of something addictive  - adj. very enjoyable in a way that makes you want to do or have something again

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Obama Eases Travel Rules for Cuba

The Obama administration Tuesday took new steps to make it easier for Americans to visit Cuba. Americans can now take “people-to-people” trips to Cuba on their own. It changes former rules that required most Americans visiting Cuba to sign up for costly group tours. Americans will still have to fill out a form, saying their visits to Cuba are for education, not just the beach. The new rules should help fill new commercial flights to Cuba, according to the Obama administration. U.S. airlines seek to begin regular flights to the island country in the next several months. The new rules will also help Cuba. U.S. banks may process financial transactions from Cuba. A previous ban made it hard for Cuba to sell its products internationally. And the rule will allow Cuban athletes, artists and performers working in the United States to earn a salary. But they will be required to obtain a U.S. visa. The new rules could add to the number of Cubans playing Major League Baseball (or MLB). MLB officials hope Cuban players could play for MLB teams without having to give up their Cuban citizenship, as they do now. The new rules are not all good news for Cuba. Not requiring Americans to sign up for expensive tours could cost the Cuban government millions of dollars annually, according to the Associated Press. The Cuban government controls the tourism industry. It requires American groups to stay in state hotels and travel on state buses and use government registered tour guides, the Associated Press said. The announcement comes one week before President Barack Obama is set to lead a large U.S. delegation to Cuba. The visit will be the first to Cuba by a U.S. president in 88 years. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the new rules will make it easier for Americans to visit Cuba. And it will provide benefits to the Cuban people, he said. “Today’s amendments build upon President Obama’s historic actions to improve our country’s relationship with Cuba and its people,” Lew said. Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida are both Cuban-Americans. They said the United States should not ease restrictions on Cuba until its government allows free elections and releases political prisoners. Leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he favors better relations with Cuba. The Democrats' two presidential candidates, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, said they agree with President Obama’s moves to ease the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba. The embargo started in 1962 under President John Kennedy, as tensions increased between the communist government of Fidel Castro and the United States. I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. Tell us if Cuba is a place you have visited, or want to visit. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   beach – n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake commercial – adj. related to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services regular – adj. running at the same time, every day previous – adj. in effect in the past embargo – n. happening over and over again at the same time or in the same way

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Trump Wins Big in Florida, Rubio Suspends Campaign

Businessman Donald Trump won three major Republican primaries Tuesday to expand his lead in the party’s presidential nomination process. Trump defeated Senator Marco Rubio in his home state of Florida and added victories in Illinois and North Carolina. Rubio suspended his campaign after the loss. Governor John Kasich won the first contest in his home state of Ohio to stay in the race. The remaining Republican candidate, Senator Ted Cruz, managed to tie Trump in Missouri. The two received virtually the same number of votes in the state. The victories give Trump more than half of the 1,237 delegates he needs to be the party’s nominee. The 2016 Republican presidential campaign When Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president on June 16, 2015, few Americans took his candidacy seriously. From the lobby of a luxury apartment named for him, Trump said, “I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” The businessman and media personality told reporters, “I’m really rich,” and said he was worth $8.7 billion. Critics say that figure is inflated, and have asked Trump to release his tax documents as proof. The Huffington Post website declared, “If you are interested in what The Donald has to say, you’ll find it next to our stories on the Kardashians and ‘The Bachelorette’ ” in entertainment. They meant that Trump was more a story about celebrity than news. The National Review called Trump’s announcement, “Witless Ape Rides Escalator.” The magazine called the businessman a “ridiculous buffoon with the worst taste.” Trump spoke about unemployment in America, and said China, Japan and Mexico had taken those jobs. He said Mexico and other Latin American countries send illegal immigrants to the United States. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” he said. Trump promised to “build a great wall” to keep them out and that he “will have Mexico to pay for that wall.” Trump was the 12th person to join a crowded field of 16 candidates seeking the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. He has never held public office, but he was the best-known candidate to the American public. Trump was the host of a TV reality show called, “The Apprentice.” The show had 28 million viewers its first season. On Twitter, Trump has more than 6 million followers. He showed that his campaign was different from others when he tweeted, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Politicians are all talk and no action - they can never bring us back.” For the next nine months, Trump spread his message and attacked opponents on television, radio and posts on Twitter. Trump made many incendiary and inaccurate comments about issues and other politicians. “He’s not a war hero. … I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said about Senator John McCain, who ran for president as a Republican in 2008. McCain was shot down during the Vietnam War and was tortured as a prisoner of war. Republicans and Democrats condemned Trump when he called for a ban on all Muslims from entering the United States. About himself, Trump said he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”  About his rivals, Trump called former Florida governor Jeb Bush “low energy.” About businesswoman Carly Fiorina, he said, "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?” Trump described South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham as a “dumb mouthpiece,” and said that Doctor Ben Carson has “pathological temper.” He said former Texas governor Rick Perry “should be forced to take an IQ test,” and described Kentucky Senator Rand Paul as “truly weird.” He added that former New York Governor George Pataki “couldn't be elected dog catcher if he ran again,” and used words such as “liar, lying, loser, choker” to describe Texas Senator Ted Cruz. As Republican Party leaders looked to support other candidates, Trump issued cutting statements. He called Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, “little” Rubio and responded with a series of insults: “lightweight,” “choker,” “looks like a little boy on stage,” and “Mr. Meltdown.” The comments do not seem to affect Republican voters. A Gallup poll in February showed that a majority of Republican voters support Trump because he is “outspoken,” “strong” and “not a career politician.” Only 8 percent of the people who liked Trump linked their support to immigration, his signature issue as the reason. Trump’s background Trump was born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York. He graduated from the New York Military Academy and later completed a study program at the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump started in business, working for his father, a wealthy real estate developer in Queens. During New York’s financial crisis, Trump received tax breaks from the city to build a hotel in Manhattan. The deal was the first of many projects for the developer -- from casinos to golf courses. For a brief period, Trump owned a sports team and a small airline company. In 1991, he sought bankruptcy protection when his businesses did not make enough money to pay the loans. It was the first of four bankruptcy filings. Trump used his name to sell neckties, water, wines, steaks, books and magazines. He launched “The Apprentice,” and produced a business seminar called Trump University. In the 1990s, Trump’s name became a headline for New York’s tabloid newspapers when he divorced his first wife, Ivana, and married Marla Maples, a little-known actress. He is now married to Melania Knauss, a former model from Slovenia. The businessman has five children by three wives. Where does Trump stand on the issues? On immigration, Trump said he opposes giving undocumented workers a path to citizenship. He said he wants to end birthright citizenship, and wants undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S. On foreign policy, Trump has criticized the Iran nuclear agreement. He opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. He supports Russian involvement in Syria, and sending U.S. combat troops to Iraq to fight the Islamic State militants. On national security, Trump calls for more military spending. He wants to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. He said he supports a form of interrogation called water-boarding. On gun control, Trump generally supports the right to bear arms. But he said he supports the existing ban on some assault weapons, a waiting period on gun purchases, and criminal and mental health background investigations. On healthcare, Trump said he will cancel the Affordable Care Act, if he is president. He will replace it with a “much better and much less expensive [plan] for people and for the government.” He does not offer specifics. On taxes, Trump said he wants to reduce personal and business income taxes on Americans, and end the “death tax” on inheritances. Trump said he would close loopholes to pay for tax cuts. On China-U.S. relations, Trump called China “a currency manipulator.” He would act against hackers and counterfeiters, he said, and eliminate Chinese subsidies. On the environment, Trump called climate change a hoax. He would cut the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.   Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck and George Grow were the editors. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   inflate - v. to say something is larger than it really is opponent - n. a person, team, group that is competing against another in a contest incendiary – adj. causing anger rumor – n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true pathological – adj. not normal or that shows an illness or mental problem IQ – n. is an abbreviation of “intelligence quotient,” a number that represents one’s intelligence based on a score of a test. seminar – n. a class or meeting to receive information and training in a particular subject tabloid – n. a newspaper that typically contains many stories and photos of famous people and less serious news. birthright citizenship - n. is a legal right for all children born in a country's territories to become citizen, regardless of the parents' origin. inheritance - n. money and property that is received from someone when that person dies. hoax - n. an act intended to trick or deceive people   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Trump-Sanders GIF Goes Viral

  This is What’s Trending Today… An edited video of Bernie Sanders “scaring” Donald Trump has gone viral. Businessman Trump is the leader in the Republican presidential race. Senator Sanders is the underdog in the Democratic race. The two have blamed each other for violence at Trump’s campaign events. Trump cancelled a rally in Chicago after some of Sanders’ supporters entered the event. He blamed Sanders for organizing the protest, and threatened to send his supporters to Sanders’ events. “Send them,” Sanders replied. He also said, “They deserve to see what a real honest politician sounds like.” A YouTube user who goes by the name of MisterOwlMan decided to have some fun with the Sanders versus Trump battle. He combined footage of Trump reacting to a protester jumping on the stage with a Sanders interview from last October.   In that interview, Sanders was explaining how he acts like a monster while playing with his grandchildren. The edited video makes it seem as though Sanders flies in on a chair, scares Trump and then quickly hides in the crowd.   A “GIF” version of the funny scene has spread quickly on social media. GIFs, or Graphics Interchange Format, are image files that are compressed to reduce transfer time. GIFs are one of the oldest image formats on the web. GIF technology has been around since the 1980s. Nowadays, GIFs go viral on social media because they are short and easy to view. The recent Sanders versus Trump GIF is being called “the best GIF of this election cycle.” ​One Twitter user wrote, “I don’t know what genius made this, but you have brought great happiness during a dark time.   ​ And that’s What’s Trending Today.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   underdog - n. a person or team that is expected to lose a game, competition or battle rally - n. a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something footage - n. images or action recorded on film or video compressed - v. to reduce the size of (a computer file) by using special software format - n.  the way in which information is stored on a computer disk cycle - n.  a set of events or actions that happen again and again in the same order; a repeating series of events or actions genius - n.  a very smart person; a person who has a level of intelligence or skill that is extremely rare

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Myanmar President Close to Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s parliament has elected Htin Kyaw as the country’s next president. The retired bureaucrat from the National League for Democracy, or NLD, won 360 of the 652 votes in a joint meeting of the legislature. Htin Kyaw is not a member of parliament, but he is a close ally of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The pro-democracy leader was among the first to vote in Tuesday’s historic election. Aung San Suu Kyi made no comment to reporters after the vote. The Nobel Prize winner is popular with most citizens of Myanmar, also known as Burma. But she is barred by the constitution from becoming president because both of her sons have foreign citizenship. A U.S. State Department official said the constitutional ban did not agree with basic democratic ideas. “We remain concerned about certain provisions in Burma’s constitution that contradict fundamental democratic principles and prevent the people of Burma from voting for the leaders of their choice,” said the official. “The people of Burma should be able to decide whether and when to amend the country’s constitution to alter or remove these provisions." Aung San Suu Kyi has declared she will hold power over the president, whom she has known since primary school. However, the military will remain powerful in the new government because it automatically holds one quarter of the parliamentary seats. The military also will control several important ministries. Officials tried to prevent reporters from interviewing or videotaping the military’s members of parliament as they registered for the joint session. “When the NLD forms a government, we will need to work together with them,” an army brigadier general, who declined to give his name, told VOA. The army’s candidate for president, General Myint Swe, who placed second, will become the first vice president. The general, however, remains on a U.S. government blacklist, and Americans are barred with doing business with him. The NLD’s Henry Van Thio, a Christian from Chin state, finished third in Tuesday’s voting and will become second vice president. After the vote on Tuesday, lawmakers from both the NLD and the now opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) stressed the need to work together. However, analysts and some members of the NLD have expressed concern. They fear the influence of the generals will mean corruption will continue to be a problem in Myanmar. Myanmar is a mainly Buddhist country of more than 55 million people. The country has suffered civil war or ethnic conflict for many of the years since the end of British colonial rule in 1948. There has been progress in negotiating peace deals with different groups since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011. But low-intensity conflicts continue between Myanmar’s army and a number of armed ethnic minority groups. The new government will take office on April 1. I'm Mario Ritter.   VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reported on this story from Bangkok. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bureaucrat – n. someone who works for the government or a large company contradict – v. to say something that is the opposite of what someone or something else has said provisions – n. conditions that are part of an agreement principle - n. a guiding moral rule or belief quarter - n. one of four equal parts of something analysts – n. a person who studies something

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Anti-Immigrant Party Wins Seats in Germany

  In Germany, a political party opposed to immigration has won seats in three elections on Sunday. The Alternative for Deuthschland (AfD) party won spots in southwestern Germany, which is rich, and in Saxony-Anhalt, which is poor. The party was started three years ago. It has seats in half of Germany’s 16 state parliaments, according to German state TV. In Baden-Wuerttemberg, the AfD party won 15 percent of the vote. In the Rhineland area, the party received almost 13 percent. In Saxony, it won 24 percent of the vote. An official with the AfD party said, “People want an alternative; they want a real opposition, and we want to take on that task.” The loss is a setback for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She favors an open immigration policy. Merkel is pressured to close Germany to migrants. Merkel is trying to reach an agreement between the European Union and Turkey to slow the flow of migrants. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   alternative - n. something that can be chosen instead of something else task - n. a piece of work that has been given to someone; a job for someone to do setback – n. a problem that makes progress more difficult or success less likely favors – v. helping someone or something in an unfair way; to approve or or support something migrants – n. a person who goes from one place to another, especially to find work

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Trump, Sanders Spar Over Rally Violence

U.S. presidential candidates disagree about who is responsible for violence at recent political rallies. Republican candidate Donald Trump said he is not responsible for violence at his rallies. But in recent weeks, fighting and conflict has erupted in rallies in Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois. In Chicago, a Trump rally was cancelled. Trump blamed Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders for the fighting. Sanders said his supporters had disrupted Trump events. But he denied ordering his campaign followers to disrupt Trump events. “We want peace. … We don’t want trouble,” Trump said at an Illinois rally Sunday. Trump then said he may send his supporters to Sanders rallies. ​ Sanders responded by inviting Trump supporters to any upcoming rally. “Send them,” Sanders said. “They deserve to see what a real honest politician sounds like.” Violence has increased at these political events. In Ohio on Saturday, a protester rushed the stage while Trump was speaking. Secret Service agents stopped the man. In North Carolina, a Trump supporter assaulted a protester as security guards escorted the protester out of the event. The Trump protester was charged with assault. Primary elections will happen in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   rally – n. a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something disrupted – v. to interrupt the normal progress or activity of something escorted – v. going with someone or something to give protection or guidance assault – n.  the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically primary elections – n.  an election in which members of the same political party run against each other for the chance to be in a larger and more important election

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Tensions Rise in Greek Refugee Camp

For the refugees living in a camp along the border of Greece and Macedonia, each day begins with hope. The refugees hope that the Macedonians will open the border. They hope that it won't rain. They hope that they have enough food. Hope is what brings between 500 and 1,000 new refugees to the area every day.   Provisional agreement The refugees' hopes were high last week. The refugees said they believed a meeting between the European Union and Turkish leaders would bring good news. Few of the nearly 16,000 refugees living in the camp understand that the EU and Turkey have reached a limited agreement. The EU will take one Syrian refugee from Turkey for each Syrian refugee that Turkey takes from Greece. EU leaders will meet soon to discuss the plan. The plan has angered UN refugee chiefs and human rights groups. The UN’s refugee agency said a blanket return may violate international law. Possibility of resistance If EU and Turkish officials go forward with the plan, it could spark anger in the camp. The few refugees who understand the plans say they will resist. One refugee, a 32-year-old father of two children, said, "There's war in Syria; there will be war here. I didn't risk the journey here – a sea crossing with my wife and kids – to be taken back." High tensions Tensions are high in the camp. Many children are sick. The children's parents are angry about how few doctors are in the camp. "We queue for hours to see anyone," said a woman from Syria. She has three young children. The youngest, age 2, has been sick for days. In the last few weeks, fights have broken out while refugees wait for food. A French medical charity called Doctors Without Borders has given food to refugees. But it is difficult serving everyone in the camp. The charity asks other organizations to help. A local Greek charity called Praxis works in the camp, but does not have enough employees. A Praxis worker said: "What is happening here is disgracing Europe – it is shaming Europe." UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, has a small presence in the camp. One worker for Doctors Without Borders said UNHCR representatives spend most of their time talking with the press. The police presence grows The number of police in the camp has increased. One policeman said he worries that the refugees will become violent when they learn they are not going to the EU. "We don’t want a repeat of what happened the other day," he said. He was referring to the February 29th clash between refugees and Macedonian border guards. Refugees shook the fence blocking their way. Guards shot rubber bullets and tear gas to keep them back. Last Wednesday refugees and locals complained that police told them to stop selling food. A Syrian refugee from Aleppo, who has been selling soft drinks, said, "I think they want to make the refugees even more uncomfortable, to pressure them so when the time comes to move them away, they might not resist." I'm Kathleen Struck.   Jamie Dettmer reported on this story for VOANews.com. John Russell adapted his report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   blanket – adj. affecting everyone or everything​ spark – v.  to cause (something) to start or happen​; to incite or fuel complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy or sick, or to state that you do not like something​ uncomfortable – adj. causing a feeling of physical unease We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 

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Migrants Being Helped to Leave Libya

More migrants are leaving Libya after being abused, mostly by police and militias. The International Organization for Migration reports it has helped thousands of people leave Libya to return to Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal, among other countries. A few days ago, the group returned 117 migrants to Burkina Faso, including five women and two children. Itayi Viriri is a spokesman for the group. He said the migrants told the IOM about poor treatment by militias and employers. He said many young men told the group they had worked for weeks without being paid. He said the group has “examples of young men who were working in construction who, every time they got paid, they were raided.” He said militias took the migrants’ money during the raids. He said the migrants had no place to report the crimes. A recent United Nations report said government officials, armed groups and smugglers have violated the rights of migrants in Libya. Many migrants have been detained without charges for long periods and have been tortured, forced to work without pay, and have suffered other kinds of abuse, the report said. Viriri told VOA that some African migrants reported being beaten and threatened with other forms of poor treatment. He says there have been “a few cases where people were abducted with the expectation that ransom would be paid. So, here we have one young man who said if they are arrested in Libya or taken in by these militias, they are expected to pay” about $700. I’m Mario Ritter.   Lisa Schlein reported on this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   smuggler – n. a criminal who moves (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly abduct – v. to take (someone) away from a place by force ransom – n. money that is paid in order to free someone who has been captured or kidnapped  

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When March 14 Circles Around, It’s Pi Day

March 14 is, perhaps quietly, celebrated as Pi Day: A day to honor the number many recall from geometry class. In case you are wondering, the date comes from the first three digits of Pi: March is the third month, followed by the one and four that make 14. Today marks the 28th celebration of Pi Day to honor the most famous irrational number, which has no end and shows no pattern. Pi appears wherever there are circles. Pi is a ratio. It measures the distance around a circle to its diameter. The diameter is the distance from one side of a circle to the point directly opposite in the circle. A website, Piday.org, showcases little known facts about the number. The site says, “Pi has been calculated to over 1 trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern.”  Pi has been known for thousands of years and gets its name from Greek letter, Pi. The Greeks are believed to have used the letter to describe the ratio. They did not have Arabic numerals to calculate it however. The first Pi Day was celebrated on March 14, 1988. San Francisco’s Exploratorium science museum started the event, according to the site. The museum marks the day with a daylong celebration including a parade, and something more substantial, real, edible pie. March 14 has other scientific links. It is the birthday of physicist and Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein. Princeton University, where Einstein lived for many years, marks Pi day, as well.   Mario Ritter adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Did you celebrate Pi Day? Do you love math or geometry? Please leave us a Comment and a post on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   irrational number – n. a number that cannot be written as a ratio, but only as a repeating decimal transcendental – adj. going beyond the limit of the ordinary infinitely – adv. without end

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Social Media Is Keeping Young Adults Awake

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. A new study has found that social media could be affecting the sleep of young adults. The study is a project of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine. They found that young people who often use social media are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than those who use social media less. The researchers say doctors should ask young adults about their use of social media when treating sleep issues. “This is one of the first pieces of evidence that social media use really can impact your sleep,” said Jessica C. Levenson. She is a postdoctoral researcher in the university’s Department of Psychiatry. She was the lead author of a report on the study. The researchers set out to examine the connection between social media use and sleep among young adults. Levenson noted that these young adults are possibly the first “generation to grow up with social media.” The researchers wanted to find out how often young people used social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Histogram, Snapshot, Credit and Tumbler. For the study, they gave questionnaires to nearly 1,800 adults, aged 19 to 32. On average, members of the study group used social media sites one hour a day. They also "visited various social media accounts 30 times per week." Thirty percent of the study’s participants reported having serious problems with sleeping. Those people who used social media a lot were three times more likely to have a sleep disorder. And those who spent the most time on social media were two times as likely to suffer from sleep disturbances.   Frequent checking is big part of the problem Levenson said the number of times a person visits social media is a better predictor of sleep problems than overall time spent on social media. If this is true, she adds, then practices that stop such behaviors may be most effective. Researchers say social media can influence sleep patterns in a number of ways. People can lose sleep by staying up too late looking at social media. Sensitive issues argued about on social media can cause "emotional, cognitive or physiological” excitement. Using an electronic device can interfere with a body’s natural sleep rhythms because of the light coming from cell phones or computer screens. The researchers note that in some cases, young adults who have a hard time sleeping may use social media to help them fall asleep. "It also may be that both of these hypotheses are true," says Brian A. Primack. He is director of the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health. He is also the study's senior author. Primack says “difficulty sleeping may lead to increased use of social media, which may in turn lead to more problems sleeping. This cycle may be particularly problematic with social media. Many forms of social media involve interactive screen time that is stimulating and rewarding and, for those reasons, can keep you awake." Researchers published their findings in the journal Preventative Medicine. I’m Anna Matteo. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   author – n. a person who has written something, especially someone who has written a book or who writes many books disturbance – n. something that stops you from working or sleeping questionnaire – n.  written questions that are given to people in order to collect facts or opinions about something predictor – n. predicting on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason hypotheses – n. an idea or theory that is not proven but that leads to further study or discussion cycle – n. a set of events or actions that happen again and again in the same order interactive – adj. involving the actions or input of a user stimulating – adj. to make (a person) excited or interested in something rewarding – adj. giving you a good feeling that you have done something valuable or important participant – n. a person who is involved in an activity or event; a person who takes part in an activity or event pattern – n. the repetition of something  

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